Gender equality has been a core principle of the European project since 1957. Championed both by European institutions and all Member States, gender equality has been enshrined in cross-cutting public policies and special measures to promote the emancipation, independence and freedom of women. This 9th European conference on gender equality in higher education and research provides a special opportunity to advance in this direction. This is why the Minister for Naitonal Education, Higher Education and Rearch wished to provide with a compilation of key figures regarding equality between the sexes in the field of higher education and research. The 35 key figures herein illustrate the situation concerning gender equality in EU countries in light of recent statistical data on students, graduates, staff (research professors, researchers, support staff, etc.) and on higher education and research governance bodies.
Gender equality has been a core principle of the European project since 1957. Championed both by European institutions and all Member States, gender equality has been enshrined in cross-cutting public policies and special measures to promote the emancipation, independence and freedom of women. This 9th European conference on gender equality in higher education and research provides a special opportunity to advance in this direction. This is why the Minister for Naitonal Education, Higher Education and Rearch wished to provide with a compilation of key figures regarding equality between the sexes in the field of higher education and research. The 35 key figures herein illustrate the situation concerning gender equality in EU countries in light of recent statistical data on students, graduates, staff (research professors, researchers, support staff, etc.) and on higher education and research governance bodies.
In 2015-2016, over 2,550,000 students were enrolled in higher education in France. The number of students has grown without interruption for seven years. The rise concerns all sectors this year, but in varying degrees. Enrolments at university are still predominant. Nearly one student in five is enrolled at a private institution. In one year, enrolments have increased in all the regions of France, except for Corsica.
In 2014-2015, around 141,000 students were preparing for a State-recognised engineering degree, accredited by the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research (MENESR).
Around 33,000 degrees were awarded in 2014, an increase of 22% in ten years.
The engineering degree is awarded following five years of study after the baccalauréat, the last three as part of an engineering cycle.
The trajectories are varied: half of entrants to the first year of an engineering cycle come from CPGE (classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles) and 21% from an integrated preparatory cycle. Parallel access routes help to diversify the recruitment of entrants to an engineering cycle: 13% hold a DUT (university technology diploma) and 7% hold a Higher technical certificate (BTS) or Bachelor's degree.
Although representing nearly half of scientific baccalauréat holders, only 29% of engineering students are women. Some universities and engineering schools offer LMD Master's programmes (Bachelor's-Master's-PhD) in engineering which can lead to employment in the engineering sector. In 2014, 6,300 students on these Master's programmes obtained their qualification.
In 2015-2016, 146,447 students were enrolled on engineering courses (excluding engineering courses in partnership with universities), an increase of 4.0% compared to 2014-2015. The rise was particularly marked in private institutions (+6.2%).
Seven in ten students are trained in public institutions, i.e. under the authority of the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research (MENESR) (82,000 students), or under the authority of other ministries (20,000 students).
Three in ten students attend private institutions (+6.2%).
In 2012-2013, in the OECD zone, around 3 million students were in education outside their country of origin. For the first time, international mobility was estimated for all the countries in this zone. France is the fourth largest host country, with 230,000 international students, behind the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Chinese students represent a quarter of international students in the OECD, with half the total number coming from Asia.
France is notable for the high proportion of international students from Africa (41%).
The proportion of international students increases with the level of study, ranging from 5% on short courses to one-quarter on PhD programmes.
In France, 40% of PhD students are international students.
At the same time, around 72,000 French students are in education in another OECD country, 65% in a neighbouring country. France is the fifth largest country in terms of student mobility, behind China, India, Germany and South Korea.
This summary note presents a range of indicators concerning higher education course choices for the academic year 2016-17. It is accompanied by publication of these indicators, broken down in more detail or cross-matched by gender, local education academy, baccalauréat series and, where appropriate, subject reference.
Students preparing for the baccalauréat and enrolled on the Post-Bac Admission Portal (APB) for the 2016 session submitted an average of 7.6 preferences.
38.2% of candidates requested a Bachelor's degree programme as first choice. In several of the requested Bachelor's degree preferences, the number of women reached extreme proportions (91.4% in Linguistics, 10.3% in Computer Science). For literary series candidates, the proportion of women exceeded 70%. Nearly one student in five in the final year of secondary school taking the scientific series (17.9%) requested classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (CPGE) as first choice.
Students preparing for a vocational baccalauréat (80.5%), but also to a lesser extent technological series candidates (49.4%), put Advanced technician's sections (STS) as first choice. The subsequent choices were often the same as the course chosen in first place.
In 2015-2016, the number of students enrolled at university was 1,593,300 (+4.0% on 2014-15). Excluding dual enrolments in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles ('excluding CPGE'), the increase was +2.4% (+35,500 enrolments). Student numbers showed contrasting trends according to the subject area, similar to the previous year. In 2015-16, there was a continued strong dynamic towards Sciences (+4.3% excluding CPGE), and Arts, Humanities, Languages (SHS) (+3.7% excluding CPGE). By contrast, numbers changed little in Law and Economics-Management compared to the previous year.
At the start of the 2015-16 academic year, the number of students in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (CPGE) increased again, reaching nearly 86,000 students. The scientific sector accounted for around two-thirds of these students, a sector in which women represented less than a third of those enrolled. Public institutions received 83% of these students, compared to 17% in private institutions.
There are various trajectories open to students who wish to study economics or management. After obtaining the baccalauréat, or after two years of classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (CPGE), they can enrol at a university, University technology institute (IUT) or a business school.
Universities, which this study focuses on, offer courses in Management, Economics, Economic and Social Administration (AES) and eco-management multi-sciences.
This variety results in different course content and prospects. For these different courses, the main access route is still the Economic and Social Sciences baccalauréat.
Courses in AES, which is more generalist and multi-disciplinary, appeal to a great diversity of profiles, in particular technological and vocational baccalauréat holders, whereas the Economics route, which has a more theoretical content, attracts scientific baccalauréat holders.
In the end, depending on the course, between 30% and 50% of students obtain their Bachelor's degree in 3 or 4 years. Nearly one-third of Bachelor's graduates continue onto a Master's programme. Depending on the course, 46% to 61% of Master's students complete their studies in 2 years.
At the start of the 2015-16 academic year, the number of students enrolling in Advanced technician's sections (STS) was slightly up, and now exceeds 256,000 students in initial education (excluding apprenticeships). Institutions under the authority of the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research (MENESR) account for 90% of students on these programmes. The majority of new entrants to these sections hold technological baccalauréats.
In 2015-16, according to the forecasts from the provisional baccalauréat results, the career choices made in previous years and the initial information available for the year in progress, the number of students in higher education as a whole should increase by 1.6%. This corresponds to around 40,000 extra students in one year. Rates of entry into higher education should be slightly higher than the previous year, due to an increase in the number of general series baccalauréat holders.
By 2024, the number of baccalauréat holders should have increased significantly compared with 2014, as a result of demographic changes. If trends in terms of career choice, continuing studies and demographics persist, higher education should welcome over 2.81 million students in 2024, 335,000 more students than in 2014.
The pass rate was stable for Bachelor's degree programmes, with 40% of students graduating in 3 or 4 years, as well as for University technology diplomas (DUT), where 3 out of 4 students graduated in 2 or 3 years. The pass rate, which correlates strongly with the type of baccalauréat held, does not include qualifications obtained following course reorientations outside universities. The pass rate for Master's degrees was 65% in 2 or 3 years, demonstrating a constant increase.
This note presents the main results of the survey on work placements in higher education, carried out in 2015 and relating to the 2013-2014 academic year. It concerns students in initial education, excluding apprenticeships and work-study programmes. The first three editions of the survey only covered university students enrolled on Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes, engineering courses and University technology institues (IUT). From 2014, the coverage has been extended to technology universities, engineering courses in partnership with universities, Paris-Dauphine and Institutes of Political Studies (IEP).
There have never been so many students in higher education in metropolitan France and the Overseas departments and territories: 2,470,700 at the start of the 2014-15 academic year. Numbers continue to increase (+1.6% in one year, or over 38,400 additional students), in particular at university (+2.1% in one year).
In five years, higher education has welcomed over 150,000 new students (+7%). Engineering schools have seen a particularly high rise in numbers.
By contrast, the number of students in State-recognised business schools has stabilised, following years of marked increases. The numbers enrolling in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (CPGE) has risen moderately (+0.8%). On short courses (University technology institutes (IUT) and Advanced technician's sections (STS)), numbers have been stable.
At the start of the 2014-15 academic year, all the local education academies apart from two saw an increase in students. Just over one student in six was enrolled in a private education institution. Female students continued to be in the majority. One in eight students were foreign nationals.
In 2014-15, 1,531,300 students were enrolled in French universities, compared to 1,499,600 in 2013-14, an increse of 2.1%, slightly less than the previous year (+2.5%).
In particular, there were more students on Bachelor's degree programmes (+2.2%) and Master's programmes (+2.3%), but the number of PhD students was lower (-1.7%).
There was a dynamic increase in enrolments of new baccalauréat holders at university (+2.9%), although this increase was partly due to parallel enrolments in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (CPGE).
There was a very dynamic increase in enrolments on Scientific courses and Humanities and Social Sciences courses.
The number of new technological baccalauréat holders increased significantly in University technology institutes (IUT) (+7.0%). The proportion of foreign students at university fell slightly to 14.3%, as did the number of foreign students not holding a French baccalauréat (11.0%). The proportion of foreign students on PhD programmes remained stable, at 41.5%.
In January 2014, around 57,000 students enrolled on the first year of a common healthcare studies course (PACES). First introduced in the academic year 2010-11, this course now covers the four disciplines of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and midwifery.
37% of the students enrolled on a PACES course for the first time in 2010-11 who passed their first semester continued onto a second year of medical studies within one or two years. Due to the more frequent reorientations provided for by the PACES reform for students experiencing difficulties at the end of the first semester, this rate is slightly higher than for the previous generation (2009-10).
Although the PACES reform did not affect the sociodemographic characteristics of first year students, whose social background is marked by an over-representation of students from the higher socio-economic categories, it did however have an effect on the profiles of those who enrolled on one of the four medical programmes, in particular midwifery where the students admitted are almost exclusively female.
Interviewed about their situation at the start of the 2013-14 academic year, 59% of baccalauréat holders who enrolled in higher education in 2008 now have a degree. At the same time, 24% are continuing their studies but have not yet graduated, due to the course chosen or a delay in their studies. Finally, 17% have not graduated and have left higher education.
Half of the baccalauréat holders who enrolled on the first year of a Bachelor's degree obtained their qualification. Although only three in ten students who enrolled in the first cycle of medical studies (PCEM) or the first cycle of pharmaceutical studies (PCEP) then enrolled in the second cycle, there were many successful reorientations onto short courses, with over half of those enrolled in University technology institutes (IUT) and 22% of those enrolled in Advanced technician's sections (STS) obtaining a Bac +3 level qualification. 84% of students who enrolled in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (CPGE) then enrolled on a Bac +5 level course or a Master's degree. Among the baccalauréat holders who enrolled on paramedic and social courses or preparations for these courses, 45% obtained a qualification. Only 10% of students who enrolled in higher education left without a qualification.
This summary note presents the main indicators for the trajectories and pass rates for University students: rates of transition from L1 to L2 (first to second years of a Bachelor's degree) and from M1 to M2 (first to second years of a Master's degree), rates of obtaining a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree and University technology diploma (DUT). It is accompanied by the publication of these indicators broken down per university (see box). This information is published for the third consecutive year. The results for the 2014 session should be available in the second quarter of 2016.
The regional atlas of student numbers offers a territorialised approach to higher education courses in France.
It is organised by region and provides a detailed overview of higher education territories: the maps give a clear overall vision of the distribution of students and the tables provide details of these students by agglomeration and commune according to course type.
In 2014-2015, the number of students enrolled at university was 1,518,100, a rise of 1.2% in one year. Numbers were up in the Bachelor's degree programme (+1.2%) and the Master's degree programme (+1.6%), but down in the PhD programme (-2.4%).
At the start of the 2014-15 academic year, according to forecasts based on the provisional results of the baccalauréat and the course choices seen in previous years, student numbers seemed set to increase by 1.6% across higher education as a whole. The number of students entering higher education also appears to be higher than last year, as a result of a significant increase in vocational baccalauréat holders and a slight rise in the rates of general and technological baccalauréat holders pursuing their studies.
Looking ahead to 2023, the number of general baccalauréat holders will probably increase significantly compared with 2013 across all series, mainly due to dynamic demographic growth.
As a result of the introduction of priority guidance measures, the rate of students continuing their studies has improved and there has been a rise in the number of vocational baccalauréat holders going into Advanced technician's sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS), and those from the technological series going into University technology institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT).
If trends in terms of guidance, further studies and demographic growth were to continue, student numbers would increase by 9% between 2013 and 2023.
In 2013-2014, there were 1,505,600 students enrolled in French universities (including universities in overseas departments and the University of Lorraine).
There were 1,468,300 students in 2012-2013.
Numbers had increased by 2.5%.
More specifically, student numbers were up in the Bachelor's degree programme (+2.5%) and the Master's degree programme (+3.0%), but down in the PhD programme (-1.2%).
The number of new baccalauréat holders enrolling at university was very buoyant (+4.5%).
Student numbers in healthcare subjects rose significantly (+7.6%).
There were more general baccalauréat holders in the general subject fields (+7.0%), the number of new technological baccalauréat holders increased significantly in University technology institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT) (+13.5%) and those with a vocational baccalauréat were slightly less likely to enrol in the university.
The number of foreign students at university rose by 0.9%: they now represent 14.5% of all students. In the PhD programmes their numbers remained stable (41.4%).
Summary tables: grants based on social criteria and merit grants: by education authority, sex and type of institution. Comparison 2012-2013 and 2013-2014. Detailed tables: grant-holders based on social criteria: by socio-occupational background and grade, by income bracket and number of points on hardship scale; grade. All grants: type of institution, year of study and type of grant. Based on social criteria: foreign students: type of institution, year of study and nationality; EU nationals: type of institution and nationality; French students abroad: by education authority and grade. In the appendix: course codes (AGLAE).
This executive summary presents the main indicators for study paths followed by university students and their level of success: retention rate from first year to second year of the Bachelor's and Master's degrees, appeal of First and Second years of Master's, graduation rates for Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees and Technological university diplomas delivered by the IUT (Diplôme universitaire de technologie - DUT).
In addition, these indicators are broken down by university. This information, published here for the second year running, will be disseminated every year. Results from the 2013 session should be available in February 2015.
A quarter of baccalauréat holders from the 2008 session said they had experienced financial difficulties during their first year in higher education. The proportion was greater among students receiving grants. However, certain students who receive no financial support from their family and no grant are less likely to report financial difficulties because they live with their parents. A financial difficulty score is estimated for each student according to their social characteristics, income and housing situation. In addition to inequalities in terms of academic level, perceived financial difficulties can affect choices of direction after the baccalauréat, success in first year of higher education and the probability of obtaining a diploma more quickly.
For students of an equivalent academic level, those experiencing most financial difficulties are more likely to fail than the others. A study allowance reduces this risk of failure significantly.
32% of the 990,000 students enrolled in French universities in initial Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees, engineering courses and University technology institutes (¦Instituts universitaires de technologie - ¦IUT) (excluding teacher training, political studies institutes and universities of technology) completed work placements in 2011-2012.
This proportion remained stable against the previous year. It tends to increase the further through the course the student progresses. Work placements are standard in vocational courses and they are becoming more common in general courses, especially in the second and third years of a general Bachelor's degree.
The vast majority of work placements are carried out in the region around the university, but almost one in ten takes place abroad. 63% of placements last for two months or longer. Half of all students receive a gratuity. Of these, one in five receives a gratuity of over €600 per month.
In 2013-2014, according to provisional data, the number of students enrolled in universities was 1,498,200, an increase of 2.4%. Student numbers were up in Bachelor's degree (+2.5%) and Master's degree (+2.8%) programmes, and declined at the same pace as the previous year in the PhD programme (-1.3%).
The regional atlas of student numbers offers a territorialised approach to higher education courses in France.
It is organised by region and provides a detailed overview of higher education territories: the maps give a clear overall vision of the distribution of students and the tables provide details of these students by agglomeration and commune according to course type.
Of those students who passed their baccalauréat in 2008 and who went on to study in metropolitan France, 68% were still in higher education four years later, and 30% of these already had a higher education diploma. 32% were no longer in higher education and 14% had left without a diploma. In all, almost half of the class of 2008 who went on to higher education already had a diploma at the end of three years. 35% of those who enrolled in the first year of a Bachelor's degree course in 2008 obtained their degree after three years and 28% were in a Master's programme. In the short courses, 7 out of 10 students in University technology institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT) obtained their diploma after two years, and the same for 6 out of 10 students in the Advanced technician’s sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS). In their fourth year, more than 7 out of 10 students from classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE) were enrolled in a further education school doing a course at baccalauréat + 5 years study level, with students from the arts and humanities classes preferring universities. The proportion of students going on to post-baccalauréat schools and paramedical courses increased significantly over the last ten years.
There have never been so many students in higher education in metropolitan France and the overseas departments: almost 2,387,000 at the start of the 2012-13 academic year. Numbers continued to increase (+1.5%), mainly thanks to an influx of new baccalauréat holders. The increase in numbers is still particularly high for recognised business schools awarding approved diplomas, and for engineering schools. The decline in numbers since last year for University technology institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT) continued; however, the number of students entering classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE) rose. The private sector saw an increase once again and now accounts for one student in six. There are still more women with higher education diplomas than men. The number of foreign students increased very little (+0.2%), with foreign students representing one in eight students. The number of Chinese students continued to rise: +2%. More than three quarters of the education authorities saw an increase in student numbers.
In 2012-2013, there were 1,468,300 students enrolled in French universities (including universities in overseas departments and the University of Lorraine). There were 1,456,100 students in 2011-2012. The number rose by 0.8%.
The number of new baccalauréat holders enrolling in universities increased in the general subject programmes (+2.3%).
More students were enrolling in Physical education and sports science and techniques (Sciences et techniques des activités physiques et sportives - STAPS) and in Economics. In healthcare courses, the number of new baccalauréat holders rose sharply (+7.4%).
There were fewer doctoral students at the start of the academic year 2012 than in 2011, while the number of students on Master's courses rose by 1.5%.
In Technological university institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT), numbers fell back slightly. The number of foreign students at university fell 1.8%: they represented 14.8% of the student population in general and their numbers remained stable in PhD programmes (41.4%).
Summary tables: grants based on social criteria and merit grants: by education authority, sex and type of institution. Comparison 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. Detailed tables: grant-holders based on social criteria: by socio-occupational background and grade, by income bracket and number of points on hardship scale; grade. All grants: type of institution, year of study and type of grant. Based on social criteria: foreign students: type of institution, year of study and nationality; EU nationals: type of institution and nationality; French students abroad: by education authority and grade. In the appendix: course codes (AGLAE).
The study path of students in first cycle programmes is marked by course changes and repeat years. In fact, only one in two students moves up directly from first year into the second year of the Bachelor's degree programme (one in four repeats the year and one in four changes course or gives up their higher education studies completely), while of those reaching the third year of the general Bachelor's degree programme, almost seven out of ten students obtain their diploma in just one year (nine out of ten for the vocational degree). For the University technology diploma delivered by the IUT (¦Diplôme universitaire de technologie - ¦DUT), the number of students moving into the second year is high, with seven out of ten students. The pass rate in second year is also high: almost nine students out of ten obtained their diploma at the 2011 session. In Advanced technician’s sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS), 85% of students move into second year. At the 2011 session, the pass rate for the Advanced technician diploma (¦Brevet de technicien supérieur - ¦BTS) was 72%, two points higher than in 2010. These rates vary depending on the type of students and the type of institution in which they are studying. However, overall, if the definition of failure in the first cycle of study is the fact of leaving higher education with no diploma, then the failure rate in France is around 19%, ten points below the OECD average.
At the start of the 2013-14 academic year, according to forecasts based on the provisional results of the baccalauréat and the course choices seen in previous years, student numbers seemed set to increase by 1.5% across all higher education as a whole.
However, the numbers of students entering higher education remained the same as last year, while the number of baccalauréat holders decreased at the 2013 session. Looking ahead to 2022, the number of general baccalauréat holders will probably increase by 12.9% compared with 2012, while the number of technological baccalauréat holders seems set to decline by 3.2%. Numbers of students with a vocational baccalauréat will see an adjustment after the cyclical peak of 2012 (-8.6% between 2012 and 2022), but are likely to remain higher than in 2011 (+12.2%). Following this influx of general baccalauréat holders, if trends in terms of career guidance and continuing education were to continue, student numbers would increase by 8% in universities between 2012 and 2022, by 12.3% in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE), by 4.1% in Technological university institutes (Institut universitaire de technologie - IUT) and by 0.1% in the Advanced technician’s sections (Section de technicien supérieur - STS). Higher education could therefore include almost 2.6 million students in 2022, or 200,000 more than at the start of 2012.
During the 2011-2012 academic year, more than 91,000 teachers held posts in public higher education institutions under the authority of the Minister for Higher Education and Research (¦Ministre de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche - ¦MESR) (this headcount would reach almost 97,000 if all doctoral students working under contract were included, even those who do not carry out teaching duties). This population is growing constantly, with 500 more than the previous year, or +0.6%. Of these teachers, 56,500 belong to the teacher-researcher corps – including those with specific statuses – whose numbers have increased 7.4% in ten years. 13,100 teachers under contract in secondary education posts and 21,500 non-permanent teachers also contribute to university teaching.
Engineering schools provide a wide range of courses (engineering diploma, Master's degree, PhD, etc.). They are located throughout France and count some 166,000 students, of whom 130,000 are preparing an engineering diploma approved by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Numbers have doubled in the last twenty years.
27% of students entering university in the first year of a Bachelor's degree programme obtain their degree three years later and 12% of them take one extra year to finalise their degree. The age at which students obtained their baccalauréat, and above all the series of baccalauréat they took, are the factors that most affect their success in their degree course.
There have never been so many students in higher education in metropolitan France and the overseas departments: almost 2,350,000 at the start of the 2011-12 academic year. Numbers continued to increase (+1.2%), mainly thanks to an influx of new baccalauréat holders. The increase in numbers is still particularly high in recognised business schools awarding approved diplomas and in engineering schools. The decline in numbers since last year at Technological university institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT) and for those entering classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE) has continued. The private sector has got stronger once again and now accounts for more than one student in six. There are still more women with higher education diplomas than men. The number of foreign students is increasing (+1.3%) in the same proportion as the number of French students: foreign students represent one student in eight. The number of Chinese students rose slightly: +2%. Three quarters of the education authorities saw their student numbers increase.
In 2011-2012, 1,406,000 students were enrolled in French universities (including universities in the overseas departments). This compares with 1,455,000 in 2010-2011. This decrease is the result of the creation of a major public institution, the "University of Lorraine" which is no longer, strictly speaking, counted in the category of "universities". All other things being equal, student numbers increased by 0.8%. The number of new baccalauréat holders enrolling in universities increased in the general study tracks (+2.8%). These students tended to take courses such as Physical education and sports science and techniques (¦Sciences et techniques des activités physiques et sportives - ¦STAPS) and economics and economic and social administration. In the healthcare subjects, the number of new baccalauréat holders fell 2.7%. There were fewer doctoral students in 2011 than in 2010 and the number of students in the Master's programme remained stable. In Technological university institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT), numbers fell slightly. The number of foreign students in universities remained stable: they still represent 15.2% of the student population, and 41.3% of students on doctoral programmes.
At the start of the 2012-13 academic year, according to forecasts based on the provisional results of the baccalauréat and the course choices seen in previous years, student numbers seemed set to increase by 1.5% across higher education as a whole.
The number of students entering higher education increased, with this rise probably linked with the new influx of students with a vocational baccalauréat from the 2012 exam session. Looking ahead to 2021, the number of general baccalauréat holders will probably increase by 12.1% compared with 2011, while the number of technological baccalauréat holders seems set to decline by 9.6%. Numbers of students with a vocational baccalauréat will adjust after the cyclical peak of 2012 (-9.5% between 2012 and 2021), but are likely to remain higher than in 2011 (+9.7%). Following this influx of general baccalauréats, if trends in terms of career guidance and continuing education were to continue, student numbers would likely increase by 11% in universities between 2011 and 2021, 9.5% in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - CPGE) and 4.5% in Technological university institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT). The increase in Advanced technician’s sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS) will probably be more moderate (3.1%).
The changes in directions taken by students in the baccalauréat S series are mainly characterised by a growing dispersion in their choices: in 2008, only 21% enrolled in a Bachelor's degree programme, whereas this figure was 35% ten years ago. However, this decline only affects Bachelor's degrees in the sciences, and more generally fewer and fewer holders of the baccalauréat S are taking the traditional scientific courses. At the same time, more and more are going into medicine (or pharmacy), or in a wide range of fields in schools that recruit after the baccalauréat. These changes concern all those with a baccalauréat S, irrespective of their speciality or their grades. Three years later, more baccalauréat S students were enrolling in the Bachelor's degree programme, especially in the science subjects, where they continue their studies after first going through a Technological university institute (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT), classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles or a first cycle of medical studies. However, 36% were in higher education schools, mainly engineering or paramedical schools.
Eight out of ten baccalauréat holders enrolling in their first year of a Bachelor's degree programme say that their course is the kind they had hoped to be doing at the end of their final year at high school. However, 38% had not put this course at the top of their list of choices for their path. Some had been accepted on different courses from their present degree course, but had not enrolled; others (25% overall) could be said to have enrolled in their degree course 'by default'. These students were less satisfied with the guidance they had received and the way that the Admission Post-Bac (APB) website worked, and fewer of them had benefitted from measures in the government's Plan for Success in Bachelor's Degree Programmes. Satisfaction with guidance information available before entering university continued to grow, with the internet becoming the most cited information source. Three quarters of those enrolling for the first time in first year hoped to continue studying for their Bachelor's degree, with more than half hoping to go on to a Master's degree. Fewer and fewer students hope to become teachers (31% compared with 45% in 2006).
The reform of the vocational study route substantially increased the numbers of vocational baccalauréat holders. Although the aim of this baccalauréat is first and foremost to prepare young people for immediate occupational integration, the number of students moving on to higher education is also increasing, both under school status and through alternance programmes. 42% of those passing their baccalauréat continue their studies. The vast majority enrol in Advanced technician’s sections (¦Sections de techniciens supérieurs - ¦STS) where results are mixed, with almost half obtaining their diploma. When they enrol in the general study tracks in universities, very few obtain their Bachelor's degree. A quarter of them quit their studies one year after enrolling in the first year of a Bachelor's degree course.
At the start of the 2011-12 academic year, 79,800 students were enrolled in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (Classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles - CPGE), 0.7% more than in the previous year. Numbers were up for all three study tracks: scientific (+0.2%), economics and social sciences (+0.6%) and arts and humanities (+3.1%). The CPGE recruit mainly students with a general baccalauréat (95%). However, there are more and more students with a technological baccalauréat and their share has increased since 2001, especially in the economics track, where they represent 10% of newly enrolled students. The proportion of women has increased slightly since 2001, but gender equality has still not be achieved (42%). However, the proportion of women differs between study tracks: fewer than one third of students in science are women, whereas women represent 74% of students in the humanities. 50% in CPGE are from a very privileged background and a little over a quarter are scholarship students.
The 2012 regional atlas reflects the diversity of the French higher education system. In a series of maps, graphs and tables it shows the distribution of students across French territory, by study track, by major subject area or by study cycle. It gives details of student numbers by agglomeration according to course type. This atlas is an essential tool that provides an understanding of the way higher education is structured throughout the territory, and can be used for the development of regional strategies.
In 2010-2011, 1,440,000 students were enrolled in French universities (including universities in the overseas departments). The number of new baccalauréat holders enrolling in universities increased in the general study tracks (+0.9%). They tended to take courses in subjects such as Physical education and sports science and techniques (¦Sciences et techniques des activités physiques et sportives - ¦STAPS), sciences and humanities. However, there were fewer students enrolling for law and economics. In the healthcare courses, where a common first year for all healthcare studies had just been introduced for 2010-11, the number of newly qualified baccalauréat holders dropped by 4.1%. There were fewer doctoral students in 2010 than in 2009 and the number of students on Master's programmes stagnated. In Technological university institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT), numbers fell by 1.4%. They had stabilised the previous year after three years of growth. There were more foreign students in universities than in previous years and they represented 15.2% of all students. Those in the PhD programme represented 41.3% of the student population.
There have never been so many students in higher education in metropolitan France and the overseas departments: 2,318,700 at the start of the 2010-11 academic year. Numbers increased slightly (+0.2%), after the particularly sharp increase in 2009 (+3.6%). The rise in numbers is still particularly high for recognised business schools awarding approved diplomas. Unlike previous years, however, numbers have gone down for University technology institutes (¦Institut universitaires de technologie - ¦IUT) and for classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE). Private education has been strengthened further and now accounts for more than one in six students. There are still more women with higher education diplomas than men. The number of foreign students continues to increase (+2.3%), while numbers of French students are in decline (-0.1%): foreign students represent 12.3% of students. The strong growth in the number of Chinese students has halted and stood at only 0.2%. Fewer than half of the education authorities saw an increase in student numbers.
At the start of the 2011-12 academic year, according to forecasts based on the provisional results of the baccalauréat and the course choices seen in previous years, student numbers looked set to increase by 1.7% across all of higher education. Numbers of students entering were higher following the increase in the number of baccalauréat candidates at the 2011 session and the trend among the general and technological baccalauréat holders to pursue their studies at university. Looking ahead to 2020, numbers of general and technological baccalauréat holders are likely to increase by 2.3% compared with 2010. The reform of the vocational baccalauréat over three years, which was started in 2009, will probably cause a significant increase in the number of vocational baccalauréat holders (+70,000). After this influx, if the trends in terms of career guidance and continuing education were to continue, student numbers would rise between 2010 and 2020 by 10.1% in universities, by 1.2% in Technological university institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT) and by 7.4% in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE). As vocational baccalauréat holders are more likely to continue their studies in Advanced technician’s sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS), numbers in this study track are also likely to rise by 6.8% between 2010 and 2020.
In 2007-2008, 3.3 million students were following a course outside their country of origin, and of these, 2.7 million were in an OECD country. Their numbers have quadrupled in thirty years and their countries of destination are more and more varied. France is the third most popular destination for these students, jointly with Germany. In the OECD zone, almost half of foreign students are from Asia and 18% are Chinese. The origins of foreign students vary from one country to another, but they are linked with geographical, historical, economic and linguistic factors. The share of foreign students increases with the level of study, with about 6% for short vocational courses and 21% for PhD programmes. Lastly, a little over 62,000 French students are studying abroad; for the most part, they choose a neighbouring country.
One in fifteen students in metropolitan France and the overseas departments follows an artistic, cultural or communication course, making a total of 155,000 students in 2009. Most are enrolled in artistic or cultural courses (113,000). A wide range of these courses exist, with students being mainly women. They are more often offered in private education institutions than other higher education courses, and they are also heavily concentrated in Paris. The university's contribution to this sector has diminished over the last ten years. The Bachelor's degree and PhD are better represented than in other university courses. Courses in communication are flourishing, and are essentially to be found in universities (79.6%). The vast majority of students are women.
At the start of the 2009-10 academic year, eight out of ten baccalauréat holders from 2008 were still studying in higher education and the vast majority were continuing along the same study path. The pass rate in short courses was high: nine out of ten of those enrolled in an Advanced technician’s section (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS) or Technological university institute (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT) continued into the next year. However, a quarter of those who had gone into classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE) or into a Bachelor's degree programme after their baccalauréat did not re-register. 52% of students in the Bachelor's degree programme went into second year; what happened at the end of the first year varied considerably according to their previous study path and their motivation for studying at university. The rates of students moving into the next year are much higher when they have a baccalauréat with distinction or when they have decided on the course they want to follow. In second year, students find it less difficult to organise themselves and they say they are more satisfied with their studies, especially at university. However, the majority feel that they are not well-informed about the opportunities for changing courses and further studies.
In January 2010, 49,050 students were enrolled in the first cycle of medical studies (¦Premier cycle des études médicales - ¦PCEM1), a total which included 29,240 baccalauréat holders from the 2009 exam session. Almost all of them had a scientific baccalauréat and almost two thirds were women. Most of these students were the 'right age' for their year or ahead of their peers in their studies, and the majority were from privileged or very privileged social backgrounds. If their pass rate is similar to that of students enrolling in 2007, 26.4% of baccalauréat holders from 2009 who began PCEM1 will go on to the second year of medicine (11.2% after one year and 15.2% after two years), 3.6% will study dentistry and 3.1% midwifery. Finally, a third of students (33.1%) enrolled in PCEM1 will continue into the second year of their medical studies (PCEM2, dentistry or midwifery).
Engineering schools provide a wide range of courses (Engineering diploma, Master's degree, Specialised Master's, PhD, etc.). They have 150,000 students, of whom 119,200 are preparing an Engineering diploma accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research as a result of a decision by the Engineering degree commission (¦Commission des titres d'ingénieur - ¦CTI). 60% of future engineers are trained in schools under the authority of the Ministry. The engineering diploma is obtained after five years of post-baccalauréat study, but there are a variety of paths to this end. Courses in engineering schools last between three and five years, depending on the level at which the student entered. Although the most common route into an engineering school is via classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE), admission based on qualifications is possible at all levels. In first year, 70% of students enrol in the year they passed their baccalauréat, and most of these have a scientific baccalauréat. Although women are in the minority, their share is constantly increasing and they predominate in agriculture and applied science courses. More than 28,000 diplomas were awarded in 2009.
In twenty years, the number of students in engineering schools more than doubled. After 52,000 at the start of the 1988-89 academic year, 108,000 students enrolled for an engineering course in 2008. This growth extended to all the education authorities, although it was not on the same scale everywhere. Over this same period, the number of female students tripled. In 2008, women represented 27% of students enrolled in engineering courses. Numbers of foreign students increased more than numbers of French students (foreigners account for 57% of all growth between 2003 and 2008). Foreign nationals are more prevalent in these schools than in higher education overall (13.4% compared with 11.9% in 2008). The majority of engineering students still come from a background of managers and higher intellectual professions (55%). Conversely, there are few children of workers or employees on these courses (16%).
Advanced technician's sections (¦Sections de techniciens supérieurs - ¦STS) are part of short vocational higher education, with 223,700 students (excluding institutions under the authority of the Ministry for Agriculture) in initial training and at school. These sections recruit after the baccalauréat and in theory offer two years' training for the Advanced technician diploma (¦Brevet de technicien supérieur - ¦BTS). At the start of the 2010-11 academic year there was a slight increase in numbers in production specialities and in service-related fields. The services sector is the one that attracts most of the students who continue their studies in an STS, but the proportion of students enrolling in this sector has stagnated since 2008. The proportion of women in STS has remained stable in all sectors of training. The number of students with a technological baccalauréat continued to decline in STS, but still represents more than half of all students (56%); the number of holders of a general baccalauréat fell for the first time since 2005. However, the number of students with a vocational baccalauréat rose by 2.8% in 2010-11.
This 2009-2010 atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry for Youth and Associations, and the ministries for Agriculture, Fisheries, Health and Sports. The geographical unit used in this atlas is the urban unit, which is the equivalent of an agglomeration; for Île-de-France and the French overseas collectivities, the geographical unit used is the commune.
In 2009-2010, 87,800 students were following courses in one of the 84 recognised business schools authorised to award approved diplomas. This was an increase of 18.6% against the start of the 2008-09 academic year. Newly enrolled students had either just passed their baccalauréat and were going to schools that recruited baccalauréat holders, or they came from classes preparing for admission to the Grandes Ecoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE), from universities, from Advanced technician’s sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS) or from Technological university institutes (Institut universitaire de technologie - IUT) and were entering schools that recruited students with the baccalauréat + 2 years of study. Men outnumbered women slightly, but the proportion of women was increasing steadily. More and more foreign students were following courses in business and management schools. As with women students, there were fewer foreign students in the first cycle programmes and a greater proportion in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) courses.
There have never been so many students in higher education in metropolitan France and the overseas departments: 2,316,000 at the start of the 2009-10 academic year. Numbers increased substantially (+3.7%), the largest rise since 1993.
First enrolments in universities increased more than numbers of baccalauréat holders for the year. The rise in student numbers affected almost all courses, except for teacher training colleges (Institut universitaire de formation des maîtres - IUFM). It was especially sharp in recognised business schools awarding approved diplomas.
The private education sector continued to grow and more women had higher education diplomas than men. All the education authorities saw an increase in student population, apart from Dijon which remained at its 2008 level. The number of foreign students (+4.8%) increased more than the number of French students (+3.5%) and they now represent 12.0% of students. Chinese student numbers continued to increase very rapidly, becoming the second contingent of foreign students, after Moroccans.
At the start of the 2010-11 academic year, according to forecasts based on the provisional results of the baccalauréat and the course choices seen in previous years, student numbers seemed set to increase by 1.4% across higher education as a whole. The number of students continuing their studies into 2010-11 was up in healthcare and law; there was a decrease in enrolments in first year at university, but all programmes combined, there was an overall increase in university student numbers (excluding University technology institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT)). Looking ahead to 2019, there are expected to be 20,000 more enrolments in the four main study paths: universities, Advanced technician’s sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS), classes preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE), and non-university engineering courses. Box: main assumptions used for forecasts.
In 2009-2010, there were 1,450,000 students enrolled in French universities (including universities in overseas departments). The number of new baccalauréat holders enrolling in universities increased in the general study programmes (+3.5%). These students tended to take up Law, Economics, and Physical education and sports science and techniques (¦Sciences et techniques des activités physiques et sportives - ¦STAPS).
However, there were fewer doctoral students at the start of the academic year in 2009 than in 2008. There were more foreign students at the university than in previous years: they represented 15.5% of all students.
In the PhD programme they represented 41.0% of the student population. In Technological university institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT), numbers were stabilising after increasing for three successive years.
Numbers of students at Teacher training colleges (¦Institut universitaire de formation des maîtres - ¦IUFM) integrated into universities continued to fall by 6.5%.
Over the last ten years there has been a reduction in the number of new baccalauréat holders enrolling in Bachelor's degree programmes, as they tend to prefer schools recruiting directly after the baccalauréat. Those with a general baccalauréat but without a distinction are the largest group to go into these schools, but they are also more likely to interrupt their studies. Those with a technological baccalauréat are less likely to enrol at university and in Advanced technician’s sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS). Nine out of ten newly qualified baccalauréat holders were able to take the study track they wanted; however, one out of three new students say they are not very interested in the subjects they are studying. Boxes: the increasing role of the internet in providing information on choosing a study path; source: baccalauréat student panels.
This 2010 atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses in 2008-2009, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Education, and the ministries for Agriculture, Fisheries, Health and Sports. The geographical unit used in this atlas is the urban unit, which is the equivalent of an agglomeration; for Île-de-France and the French overseas collectivities, the geographical unit used is the commune.
At the start of the 2009-10 academic year, there were almost 222,000 students in Advanced technician's sections (¦Sections de techniciens supérieurs - ¦STS). There was an increase in baccalauréat holders choosing production specialities and service-related fields. The proportion of students with a technological baccalauréat declined, but numbers of vocational baccalauréat holders continued to rise, with 84% of them going on to 2nd year. Box: sources and definitions.
In 2008, 78.2% of new baccalauréat holders entered higher education. The general study tracks at university mainly take in students with a general baccalauréat: law, economics, and economic and social administration (¦Administrative, Économique et Sociale - ¦AES) study tracks for those with an economics and social sciences baccalauréat; arts, languages, humanities, for those with an arts and humanities baccalauréat; sciences, physical education and sports science and techniques (¦Sciences et techniques des activités physiques et sportives - ¦STAPS), and medical subjects for those with a scientific baccalauréat. In University technology institutes (¦Institut universitaire de technologie - ¦IUT) 68.5% of students have a general baccalauréat, while those with a technological baccalauréat tend to enrol in Advanced technician's sections (¦Section de technicien supérieur - ¦STS). Those enrolling in a class preparing for admission to Grandes Écoles (¦Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles - ¦CPGE) mainly have a general baccalauréat. In the business schools, more than one in two students hold an economic and social baccalauréat. Boxes: study tracks open to different baccalauréat series; sources and scope.
In 2008, the number of foreign students in higher education increased by 2.3%; they represented 11.9% of all students. Over a third were studying in an education authority in the Ile-de-France region. Table 1 gives numbers and proportions of foreign students by type of institution in 1998-99, 2003-2004 and 2008-2009; Table 2 gives a breakdown by nationality and course type. The largest number of international students are from Morocco; the fastest-growing group is the Chinese. Maps: proportion of students by country of origin; proportion of foreign students by education authority. Box: source and definitions. Note on major institutions (Grands établissements).
In 2008-2009, there were 1,410,000 students enrolled in French public universities. Teacher training colleges (¦Instituts Universitaires de formation des maîtres - ¦IUFM) are integrated into a home university, with the exception of those in the Antilles and Guyana. The new intake of baccalauréat holders showed a declining interest in the sciences and humanities study tracks at university; more tended to enrol in Law and in Economic and social administration. The proportion of foreign students increased by 1.5%; the proportion of young women was 57% (excluding IUFM). A table shows university student numbers by education authority and institution, differentiating between IUFM and non-IUFM students. Box: source and definitions.
This atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Ministry for Health and Sports.
This atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Ministry for Health, Youth, Sports and Associations.
This first edition of Higher Education and Research, Facts and Figures is more than a mere inventory of a system: it is designed as an informational tool to be used by all. It illustrates the political and strategic choices made on behalf of the Nation and, in the interests of transparency, it reports on the effectiveness of public policy: democratisation of higher education, success in university studies, outcomes for students, research effort, scientific publications, staff situations, etc.
This atlas presents the numbers of students enrolled in institutions and programmes of higher education, as recorded in the information systems and surveys of the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fishing and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of the Family and Social Protection. The combination of the above resources can sometimes lead to an incremental number of duplicate records of students enrolled in the higher education system. This is because the same student may enrol in several programmes and may be counted more than once if assigned a different identification number for each enrolment.
The geographic unit used in the present document is the 'urban unit', or agglomeration; for the Ile-de-France region, the commune is the geographic unit of reference.
This atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs and the Ministry for the Family and Social Protection.
This 2004-2005 atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research, and by the ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Health and Sports. The geographical unit used in this atlas is the urban unit, which is the equivalent of an agglomeration; for Île-de-France and the French overseas collectivities, the geographical unit used is the commune.
This 2003-2004 atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research, and by the ministries for Agriculture, Fisheries, Health and Sports. The geographical unit used in this atlas is the urban unit, which is the equivalent of an agglomeration; for Île-de-France and the French overseas collectivities, the geographical unit used is the commune.
This 2002-2003 atlas shows numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions and courses, drawn from the information systems and surveys produced by the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research and by the ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Health and Sports. The geographical unit used in this atlas is the urban unit, which is the equivalent of an agglomeration; for Île-de-France and French overseas collectivities, the geographical unit used is the commune.